Connect with us

Community News

Striving for excellence, not perfection: The United Achievers 34th Annual Scholarship & Recognition Awards Night

Published

on

BY: ASHELLY SMITH

Thirty-four years ago, The United Achievers Club of Brampton proudly presented its first scholarship, $250 to a graduating student from Central Peel Secondary School. This year, they recognized 15 outstanding students with scholarships. They are Maysun Arcand, Brianna Brown, Gavin Crawford, Ranice Cumberbatch, Jalen David, Kristian Francis, Cornelia Gillespie, Breanna Jeremiah, Alexis Knowles, Ebonee Lennord, Amarachukwu J. Nwaefidoh, Joseph Ogunnupe, Rajay Pyne, Andrew Skerritt, and Joshua Tulloch. On Saturday, September 15th , 2018, the 34th  Annual Scholarship and Recognition Awards Dinner was held in the elegantly-transformed Auditorium at Century Gardens Recreation Centre. The emcee of the night was Jesse Jones who is an innovator, brand builder, speaker, and influencer. To commence the awards night, he welcomed special guests such as Peel Regional Police representatives and sent Mayor Linda Jeffrey ’s greetings. In her greeting message, she thanked The United Achievers’ Club for doing a great job of empowering youths and assisting them with resources they need to reach higher. 

Soon, dinner was served by award-winning Chef, Courtney Guy of CG Catering. Dinner was extremely delectable as some guests went back for a second portion. As the audience enjoyed their meals, it was time for the Keynote Speaker, Deputy Chief of Peel Regional Police Ingrid Berkeley-Brown to address the scholarship recipients. Berkeley-Brown has an honors diploma in Social Sciences and is a graduate of the University of Guelph School of Business and Economics with a Masters in Leadership. In her speech, she shared some of her stories from her journey on the importance of practices that helped her to be in the position she currently is in. 
The awards night’s theme was a “Tribute to Excellence” which got Deputy Chief Ingrid to critically think about what does excellence actually looks like?

“When I received an African Canadian Achievement Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement; I was very honored to be one of the recipients and receiving that award really got me wondering what excellence looks like on a daily basis and as I thought about it I came to realize that attaining excellence requires hard work, dedication, and resilience.”

Funny enough, she googled the word ‘Excellence’ to make sure she sent her message profoundly to the recipients. She learned that ‘Excel’ is at the root of the word ‘Excellent’ and as she reflected on her journey she noted three strategies that helped her moved forward in her career.

“First, recognizing that setbacks will happen, but they do not have to hold you back forever; always work hard to frame obstacles as opportunities. Second, once you reframe obstacles as opportunities, you need to decide where you want to go and choose to stay the course even when things get tough. People and events may try to redirect you but it’s up to you to stay focused on your path. Third, while you travel along your unique path, expand your networks whenever possible and recognize the value of having a mentor as well as being a mentor” she expressed.

Her journey in becoming a police officer was not an easy road neither was it a predictable one. When she first applied to become a police officer, she was immediately disqualified for failing to meet the mandated height-to-weight requirement for all applicants. Berkeley-Brown continued to emphasize on the inevitability of setbacks. Despite this obstacle, she was undeterred. Five years later, she reapplied for the position and got three interviews with three different police services including Peel Regional Police. Today, she is now the Deputy Chief of PRP. Her story captivated the audience and made everyone reflected on his or her life journey in striving for excellence.  As she concluded her speech she gave the recipients homework.

“Given that you all excelled in the classroom and the community, I’m going to conclude with a bit of homework for you. I’ve prepared a list of questions based on the three practices that helped me pursue excellence many years after I left high school. Question 1: When you leave this event, what obstacles are you going to face that has the potential to be framed as opportunities? It’s okay if you can’t see the opportunities yet. Just make a note of the obstacles and share the list with people you trust.

Question 2: Where do you see yourself six months from now? Where do you see yourself one year from now? What can you start doing this week and in the coming months to make sure that you stay on the path you promised yourself today?

Question 3: Who is one mentor that seems so out of reach to you? What exactly is it you’d like to learn from that person? Once you make that list, can you identify people in your community who have a similar skill set to your dream mentor? These local people may be traditional mentors much further along in their careers than you are or they may be peer mentors.”

She concluded by encouraging each recipient to introduce themselves to one another and tell each other one way they could be a mentor to someone else. 

The most important part of the evening has finally come; the presentation of 2018 scholarship recipients done by Kathy Mcdonald Education Officer and Marva Hemmings, President of UAC.

Speaking to Toronto Caribbean Reporter, Kristian Francis one of the recipients is a graduate of Mayfield Secondary School who is now enrolled in the Bachelor of Engineering program at Ryerson University spoke about how he felt when he found out he had received a scholarship.

“It was an amazing feeling to be completely honest. I feel so humbled just because it sort of reinforces the reality of really being able to help my parents out. This was a step I could take personally to take part in my own learning and just be able to know that I helped my parents to pay for my education. It was also encouraging to always strive to take care of my own learning and be a part of my learning financially as well.” Francis ended grade 12 with an 88 average and he would like other senior students to not get lazy and spoke about the practices he had to do to maintain his average.

“I made sure I went to bed on time regularly. I balanced time for things I enjoy but nevertheless studying was always my priority.”

Francis achieved academic excellence on the honor roll for five years while balancing a rigorous visual arts program with extracurricular activities such as track and field, basketball, soccer, football, and volleyball.

Joshua Tulloch also spoke with Toronto Caribbean Reporter about how he was feeling on receiving this award.

“I feel very honored getting this scholarship because in a single family where my dad is not with me it really helps me to get to university as it costs a lot of money to go to the school I’m going, which is the University of Waterloo. So, I appreciate the efforts of the people who are running the United Achievers’ Club to help students like me get to where they want to be.” Tulloch had his recommendation to students who want to be successful with a 92 average.

“Work hard in grade 12 and don’t let senioritis get to them and they should go to bed early. They should get rid of the old habits to prepare themselves for university so that they don’t find themselves in the same pitfall they were in before. Eventually, if they keep working hard and dedicate themselves to their work they will succeed.”

Tulloch’s career goal is to obtain a degree in Actuarial Science at the Ph. D. level.

After the presentation of scholarship awards, the United Achievers’ Club recognized and presented community awards to Rose Courtney for outstanding dedication and commitment and service on behalf of the Healthy, Active and Wise Seniors’ program, Deputy Chief Ingrid Berkeley-Brown for her leadership and outstanding service to their community and William Bill Carter was awarded the Unsung Hero Award. Carter volunteers without the expectation of personal reward; the award recognizes him for his decades-long years of active support to the UAC, his contribution to the community and other quiet and altruistic contributions.

Soon the night was over, and the 15 students were happy and thankful for their scholarships. The United Achievers’ Club thanked and recognized their sponsors: Peel Regional Police, DSI Fun Photos, Jennifer Cave-Williams, Jesse Jones (TEN81 Lifestyle Inc.), Dr. Laurie Hill (Brampton Cardio-Pulmonary Services), Vere Park. the United Achievers’ Seniors Group and other generous donors for their financial support. They also thanked other donors to the scholarship fund for the period 2017-2018 through their support of several fund-raising initiatives of the membership, namely the Orlando Bowen, Ingrid Berkeley-Brown, Bernice Carnegie, Courtney Guy, Dr. Winston Isaac, Carol Thompson, Hugh Lawson, Hilarion Mitchell, Glen and Lucinda Sloley, Marjorie Taylor, CMJ Entertainment, Chef Works Canada, Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, Greg’s Appliance & Lock Services Inc., Condo Mechanical Plumbing and Drains Ltd., AAA Janitorial Services, GEMPAC Contracting Inc., “U” Place Home Supplies Inc.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Community News

Are citizens the ones causing harm to the environment, or is it our world leaders?

Published

on

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

For many years now, we the public have been hounded by the climate change hoaxers in government and climate zahrs who have lied to us, lectured us, and now have subjected us to punitive financial steps to make us comply with their climate change lies. In this piece, we shall first look at, and then reveal who the real climate vampires are.

A recent study published by PubMed has revealed what many others have long suspected, which is that wireless radiation emitted by cell towers and other wireless technology harms both human health and the environment.

All these mentioned in the paragraph above fall under electromagnetic fields (EMF), which seriously affect many different life forms, from plants and animals to insects and bacteria.

This is exceptionally serious considering that from the depths of the soil to the highest layers of the atmosphere imbalances caused by this wireless radiation emitted by cell towers can affect the universe in ways that we as humans never thought possible; here is how this is happening.

It is important to note here that as recently as August 2021, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in favor of Children’s Health Defense (CHD) in its landmark case against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), challenging the FCC’s decision not to review its health and safety guidelines regarding 5G and wireless technology.

This happened because the court recognized that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) did not fully disclose the harmful effects of these radiations upon the public. This ruling also made it clear that the FCC was arbitrary and capricious in its failure to respond to comments concerning environmental harm caused by RF radiation.

Here are the findings of this study about what, how, and who is affected.

As mentioned earlier studies have shown that radiofrequency EMFs can have detrimental impacts on plant species, some of these impacts include: A shorter lifespan in certain plant species and trees that are exposed to cell towers being damaged on the exposed side which over time spreads to the entire tree.

In animals the effects are devastating; here is how. Radiofrequency EMFs have also been shown to adversely affect several animals such as: birds, frogs, rats, and mice.

These studies show that electromagnetic pollution from wireless telecommunications may be a factor in reducing certain mammal populations. There has been a notable decline in the number of babies and irreversible infertility in mice due to radiofrequency radiation.

Cell towers can cause developmental problems and death to the tadpoles exposed to them. Then there is the inability for birds to navigate their path safely because of electromagnetic noise, which blocks out their magnetic compass.

Even rats that come into contact with the waves from these cell towers give birth to babies with altered genetic expression in the brain. Insects experience changes in their: behavior, physiology, and morphology because of the trauma of these 5G networks and their towers.

This study revealed that even bacteria are not exempt from the harmful effects of EMF sources such as Wi-Fi, which have also been shown to have significantly altered their growth rate.

Studies have shown that even the extremely low-frequency EMFs from power lines can produce changing effects in the magnetosphere, the region of space around the earth.

As promised in paragraph one, we looked at and explained the damage caused by these: cell towers, WIFI, radiofrequency EMF, and 5G radiation. In closing, we will examine who is responsible. I will be concise in my answer by saying that it is those mentioned in the same paragraph.

Imagine hypocrites and liars like: Al Gore, Tony Blair, John Kerry, Justin Trudeau, and the little WEF climate actress Greta Thunberg lecturing us on climate change.

These are the liars who use private jets to circle the globe religiously, while climate taxing us and attempting to shame us for using our little cars.

Finally, we must follow the money. Who owns and benefits from the 5G rollout? Readers, I am sure your surname is not BlackRock or Vanguard, is it? Now we know who is controlling these greedy climate puppets mentioned above.

Continue Reading

Community News

Public Service Alliance of Canada calls on government to ensure pension surplus goes to workers and not o federal coffers

Published

on

BY PAUL JUNOR

The issue of what to do with the federal public service pension surplus of $9.3 billion is of significant concern to more than 700,000 federal public service workers, retirees, and territorial government employees. The federal government has expressed an interest in utilizing the surplus and this has prompted the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) to launch a national campaign to bring awareness of the government’s plan. PSAC released information in a press release on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024, to express its concerns about the government’s planned actions.

Sharon DeSousa, National President of the PSAC states, “This is a betrayal of trust. Workers and the government contribute equally to this pension fund, but now the government is taking a break while workers are left to shoulder the burden.” PSAC believes that the government’s desire to put its hands on the surplus pensions would be a precedent-setting move. It could prompt private and public employers to do the same thing to their employees’ pension plans. This is an essential issue for the largest public sector union in Canada. “This is more than a fight for public sector workers; it is a fight for everyone who believes in: fairness, accountability, and the retirement security of workers.” National President Dsouza notes further, “If the federal government (the largest employer in the country) can raid its own workers’ pensions, what stops other employers from doing the same thing?”

PSAC is optimistic and hopeful that the federal government will reverse its course of action as it is still early. They have presented three possible solutions to protect retirement security and tackle the pension surplus. These include:

  • Reverse the two-tier system:

Reverse the two-tier system introduced by the Harper government in 2012. Under the Harper changes, federal workers who started their jobs on, or after January 1st, 2013, must work five years longer to reach full retirement. This inequality is fundamentally unjust.

  • Equitable retirement options for frontline workers:

Follow through on the government’s commitment to provide equitable retirement benefits for frontline public safety workers.

  • Suspend employee contributions:

If the government gives itself a contribution holiday, workers who equally pay into the pension plan should get one too, ensuring fairness and equality.

DeSousa states, “This isn’t about pensions; it’s about fairness, accountability, and doing the right thing for the workers who serve Canada every day.”

In a press release on Monday, November 25th, 2024, issued after the federal government’s announcement of a multi-billion-dollar surplus, PSAC notes that “This represented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in the future of Canada’s public service, and righting the wrongs of the Harper era.” The press release referred to a report by the independent Chief Actuary of Canada, which acknowledged that there was a $1.9 billion surplus in the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) that is more than the optimal surplus allowed according to prescribed legislation. These funds will be transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Fund by the government.

PSAC is not pleased that federal workers who commenced on, or after January 1st, 2023, have to wait five years later to get a full pension. For PSAC, “This inequality is fundamentally unjust.” President DeSousa notes, “Federal workers built this pension surplus through their hard-earned contributions, and taking these funds is a betrayal of their trust. It also sets a dangerous precedent for all Canadian employers who may now be eying the pension contributions of other public sector workers.”

PSAC believes that the transfer of these funds into general government revenues rather than to alleviate the unfair two-tier pension system is inherently unfair. PSAC has offered a cost-neutral policy to the government to undo the policies introduced by Harper and will continue its fight to ensure these funds are allocated equitably. “PSAC is determined to express opposition to any actions by the federal government to divert these funds,” DeSousa notes. “A two-tier system is inherently unfair, especially for: racialized, Black, Indigenous, and young workers who make up the majority of recent hires-the same workers this government has confirmed to support and recruit into the public service. If the government is serious about equity and inclusion, we need fair retirement benefits for everyone.”

In an email on Friday, November 29th, 2024, PSAC announced that government’s actuaries revealed that $7.4 billion will be taken from the PSPP as it suspends employer contributions. The government has tabled measures indicating that it will pass the surplus to its coffers. President DeSousa states, “The decision by the government to put itself ahead of workers is wrong. They’re suspending employer contributions for the plan, but not investing in fairer pensions, or a contribution break for workers. That is a betrayal.”

PSAC is disappointed that the government did not engage in consultations with them and hid their true intentions hoping that they would not be found out. DeSousa notes, “The government could have given much-needed financial relief to some of the lowest paid workers in the federal government and make a fairer pension system in a revenue-neutral way, at no cost at all to taxpayers. The question is, why didn’t they?”

DeSousa expressed disappointment at the failure of the government to table pension reform legislation and ensure that frontline public safety and law enforcement workers have access to future equitable retirement benefits. “I spoke with the Prime Minister earlier this week. He must do right by these workers. It’s not too late.”

Continue Reading

Community News

Vegetable Pancakes: Wintertime delicious

Published

on

BY STEVEN KASZAB

Zucchini Pancakes: A flexible vegetarian meal that allows you to add whatever you desire to it, feeding your family a nutritious main for breakfast, or lunch. The main ingredients need not be zucchini, but perhaps squash, or any other fleshy fiber laden veggie. Also, you can top the pancake with just about whatever you desire be it: hot peppers, fried eggs, jam or even delicious maple syrup.

Family instructions: You will prepare this just as you would a regular pancake.

  • Shred three small zucchini’s and add a teaspoon of salt to draw out the moisture, leaving it to breathe for about 10-15 minutes.
  • While you’re waiting, chop green onions, or scallions finely. You will need 3 – 4 eggs to blend into the zucchini. If you wish to replace eggs with another substitute that will bind the shredded zucchini such as: flax, or chia seeds in water, mashed bananas, or applesauce do so.
  • Mix together and add if you so desire a cheese such as parmesan cheese to your distinctive taste, along with fruit, or berries. Add one cup of flour (more if you want the pancake to be denser).
  • Using a large spoon add to a hot pan, frying to your desired consistency. Flip and add some cheese to melt if you wish.

Another less costly ingredient may be the ever-present Mexican Avocado diced and added to the mix. The Germans often add fried onions with diced mushrooms and in Southern Italy don’t be surprised to find fried anchovies with pitted olives added.

Cooking is limited only by your imagination, so be creative, experiment and enjoy.

Continue Reading

Trending